Phillies B-Squad beats Pirates

You know the Pirates aren't very good when the Phillies are missing Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino due to injuries, bench Ryan Howard, start nobodies Brad Harman and Eric Bruntlett, and Chase Utley and Pat Burrell combine for one hit and they still lose to the Phillies 6-5.

The secondary players got it done for the Phillies in the early innings, as Chris Coste picked up three RBI's and Jayson Werth hit a home run to give the Phils an early 6-0 advantage. Then, despite Adam Eaton's best efforts to give away the game, the bullpen came in and held it down just like it has all season long. Chad Durbin had a bit of a rough outing giving up two runs, but Tom Gordon, J.C. Romero and Brad Lidge combined for three shutout innings, combining to give up only one hit. Lidge, who has been everything the Phillies hoped he would be when they traded for him in the offseason, picked up his sixth save, and continues to have an ERA of triple-zeros. The win was the Phillies 5th in their last 6 games.

The Phillies are starting to starting to do the things that legitimate contenders do. They are winning games when their starting pitcher has an off-night and when some of their best hitters are in slumps or are nursing injuries. They are finding ways to win ball games, something the good teams always do.

Even though this win was only against the Pirates, the Phillies should be content with knowing their best players can have an off night and they still have enough weapons to compete.

Highlights of the game via Comcast SportsNet: